Davide Ancelotti, due to his inexperience as a coach, produces evidence against himself
Writing about Botafogo has become, in 2025, a constant exercise to escape repetitiveness. But let’s go for another inglorious mission. In August, after qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil, in Bragança Paulista, Davide Ancelotti ensured that the team was safe from the fierce legal dispute for control of the SAF, between John Textor and Eagle Football. Two months later, the coach, without the same guarantees, declared that the off-field activity could not influence the team’s performance. On the same day, after losing to Flamengo 3–0, at the Nilton Santos Stadium, captain Marlon Freitas mentioned “off-field problems” for the first time. On the eve of the classic, CEO Thairo Arruda said that the club will only have liquidity until the end of the year and warned of the need for an investment of R$350 million in 2026. Hours after the clash against the Rossoneri teams, delays in the payment of player purchases come to light. The sensation is that the Apocalypse is approaching the Espaço Lonier and the Colossus of Suburbia. So no prospects for next season. The courts will decide the future of Mais Tradicional. So, with how much peace of mind can a company’s employees carry out their tasks knowing that, in three months, everything could change?
Davide’s inexperience (in the role) weighs heavily on him.
In the short term, sooner or later, the rope will break in the hands of the weakest link: the coach, the last in line of those responsible for the crisis. Davide Ancelotti is hostage to the team’s lack of planning great boss North American, the negative circumstances and the weakening of the multiple champion team. It is more convenient to shoot the coach, just as it was easy to explode Renato Paiva after the visit to Carabobo (VEN) or throw stones at Luís Castro in the 2023 Carioca Championship. The victim is never to blame, in theory. It turns out that this maxim, in Botafogo, has nuances. Moreover, inexperienced in the role, the Italian produces evidence against himself. He, for example, goes to a press conference and declares that “the match against Flamengo ended 2-0”. The commander of the current holder of the cup cannot lay down his arms in this way, in the midst of a war. Then he uses the word “happy”, moments after the sensational defeat suffered by his greatest rival. It seems that he did not understand the dimension of this comparison, the point and team performance. Not to mention some questionable technical decisions, such as, for example, improvising Marçal in defense when there were two players in that position or placing the now injured midfielder Danilo on the right flank last month against San Paolo at Morumbis.
Billiards
A successful figure as an assistant and with noteworthy experience in Europe’s major leagues, Ancelottinho proves that no one becomes a manager overnight. The Juventus coach, now under a lot of pressure and, finally, with an ultimatum in front of him, needs an immediate response, next Sunday (19th), against Ceará, away from home, on the 29th matchday of the Brasileirão. The Botafogo team managers ask Davide for more “time”. The team is against constant changes on the bench. The problem is that Mais Tradicional is not in pre-season. They will therefore have to secure a place in the next Copa Libertadores or their finances will implode once and for all. Even more serious, however, would be to look for a replacement to finish the season at this point in the championship. Glorioso really got himself into trouble.
*This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Jogada10
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Source: Terra

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